1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation panel including a display section on which a content of operation inputted at an operation section is displayed and an image formation apparatus or an electronic equipment using this operation panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an operation panel which includes a variable mechanism for changing a standing angle of a display section relative to a horizontal plane so as to maintain visibility of the operation panel both at a seated position at which an operator is seated in a wheelchair or the like and at a standing position at which the operator stands up. However, it is not preferable to provide the variable mechanism because the cost of the operation panel is disadvantageously pushed up and an electric wire is possibly broken if the electric wire is bent so as to change the display section standing angle. Further, with the operation panel with the display section standing angle fixed, it is difficult to ensure good visibility both at the wheelchair seated position and at the standing position.
In recent years, an operation panel operable even by a physically handicapped person has been on demand, following a request for a universal design of the operation panel. To this end, an operation key operable by a mouth stick held by the mouth of a person with a disabled hand or a head stick fixed at person's head when used is desired.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-103732 discloses an operation panel 106 which includes a print key 100 provided to be protruded, made large in size, and made conspicuous by vivid color or display, as compared with other keys 102 and 104, as shown in FIG. 14, so that a user's attention is drawn to the print key 100. With this configuration, however, the print key 100 can be made more conspicuous than the other keys 102 and 104 only at the standing position. Therefore, if the operator is seated in the wheelchair, the operator may possibly be unable to visually recognize the print key 100.
JP-A No. 2002-236536 discloses a structure in which, as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, a finger rest section 116 is provided in the middle of an upper button 108, a lower button 110, a left button 112, and a right button 114 and an operator can operate the upper button 108, the lower button 110, the left button 112 or the right button 114 without significantly changing a finger position while the operator's finger continues to stay at this finger rest section 116. The object of this configuration is, however, to eliminate the operator's fatigue or feeling troublesome caused by the movement of the finger and not to facilitate easy handling of a mouth stick, a head stick or the like.